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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Many of you know Cakegirls from the show Amazing Wedding Cakes, or from Food Network cake challenges. Sisters Brenda and Mary and their staff have a reputation for fantastic, modern cake art, like this:

Many of you also know that on the morning of March 29th, the Cakegirls bakery tragically burned to the ground. Fortunately no one was hurt, but they did lose everything - and their staff is jobless until they can rebuild.

I have no doubt that Cakegirls will be back, bigger and better than ever, before too long. In the meantime, though, since their website gallery is currently down, here are a few of their lovelies I had on file:

I think this is my favorite; the yellow with the stripes is so cheerful, don't you think?

If you'd like to show your support for the girls, then buy a Cakegirls t-shirt. The proceeds will help all of the employees stay afloat until the bakery can rebuild.

But wait, I have more!

Read on a for a sweet story.

This next cake is by Jane, of Cakes Come True and Truffles, Too in Cincinnati. Jane has no idea I'm writing this today, or even that I write a blog (much less this one! [evil snicker]), but I recently had an encounter with her I'd like to share.

First, some quick background: For the past 9 months or so, I've been following the story of junior Wreckie Jacob Taylor, a courageous 9-year-old who battled brain cancer with a big smile, right up until the day he earned his wings. On the tearful day when we learned Jacob was gone, I read that the funeral reception would be serving food, and naturally thought of sending some sweets over.

Since this was in another state, I scrambled to find a local baker. I found Jane's website, and John called her. Miraculously, she agreed to make and deliver three cakes with less than 24 hours notice. Amazing, right?

Ah, but there's more...

About a week later, John and I got a card from Jane. In it, she told us she was so touched by Jacob's story that she'd decided to take all of the money we paid her and donate it- in his memory - to The Cure Starts Now, an organization working to cure pediatric brain cancer.

Now, if you're like me, then sometimes you get convinced that pretty much everyone on the planet sucks. (Or at the very least, everyone on the internet. Heh.) Some days you think everyone is just too self-absorbed to care. But sometimes, on those days, someone like Jane will come along, and give you a little hope. She didn't know us, or Jacob, and she had a regular 9-5 job in addition to her bakery business, but she still went above and beyond for us and for Jacob's family. So Jane, you rock. Thank you.

Thank you for your post Jen; a few tears and a smile were just what I needed to start my Sunday, and maybe have a little more faith in humanity as well. As much as I love the wrecks, the little ray of beauty and joy offered by Sunday Sweets always boosts my spirits.

This is an amazing post with amazing timing! I just came home from a heartbreaking funeral, and while I'm in a semi-awake emotional state, it was so nice to read! As I sit here sobbing, it's the good kind, like an emotional catharsis.

Thanks again, Jen!

(this comment was not meant to be sarcastic...it really helped a lot!)

This is a great post, Jen. I live in Cincinnati, and am in the market for two birthday cakes this summer. Perhaps I'll be giving my business to Jane, and I'll be sure to tell her I heard about her in the SUNDAY SWEETS section of Cake Wrecks. You know - as opposed to the NOT Sunday Sweets section of Cake Wrecks. *shudders*

Jen & John,Both of these oddly-intertwined stories--the tragic fire, and the little boy--make me want to promise to NEVER whine again about some trivial, stupid thing...but I know I won't live up to it. I will, however, try to remind myself of this as often as I can (one of my favorites, from "Desiderata"): "With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

The fire is an absolute tragedy!! I love the Cake Girls and their beautiful work! Best of luck to them and their staff in getting rebuilt ASAP! and it is wonderful to hear that there are still people in the world, thank you for sharing that story and reminding me that .05% of the human race is good and selfless enough to do not only what you did but also the baker's donation...

Way to make me all sniffly... luckily i'm just headed out for a hike in the woods, so i don't mind looking a bit puffy-in-the-eyes. Can't we all just bake a cake? Give cake a chance? Peace, love, and cake? Okay, i'm done. <3

Jen & John, thank you for being the kind of people who care about paying for cakes for a little boy's funeral in another state. Jane, thank you for being awesome in doing so much in a short time and then donating your fees on top of that! You guys touch my heart and truly inspire.The older I get, the more I realize that being kind and loving is what gives life real meaning.

That last paragraph is so true. Thank God for the "Janes" who make life worth getting up in the morning sometimes. And thank you for honoring her in the way you do best. You really do have quite a way with words. <3

Oh no, I didn't know about their bakery burning down. I've LOVED every single cake I've ever seen them make. Seriously, never seen a bad (or even mediocre one) in the bunch. I'll donate to the cause-I could use a new t-shirt anyway.And I don't think it was just my raging hormones that made me tear up reading the story about Jan and the cakes. Very touching.

thank you for A) posting such gorgeous cake pics; B) helping out Cake Girls; and C) giving a shout out for Jan. somedays i too feel so cynical about people, but today i don't, and it's lovely to know there are people who do the right thing.

also, i love cakewrecks,and want to say thank you for putting in the time on it for us to enjoy. i own a bakery, and so i try never to laugh tooooo hard, because who knows, i may be only one cake away from a wreck! :)

On the morning Cake Girls lovely bakery burned, Courtney Clark (from Cake Nouveau) and I (mom) were on our way to Chicago. We've been so impressed with the swift action of the cake community pulling together for Mary and Brenda! And Jane is a perfect reflection of the kind of person I would like to be!x Linda

I wanna throw my vote in for a paypal account or some other easy way to donate to the cake girls. We can't rebuild the whole bakery, but I'd love to be apart of helping them out in some small way. You know you have hundreds of generous people here... please give us a way of giving directly to the cake girls. When they are back up and running again I trust that they will pay it forward for someone else, too.

I heard about the cakegirls bakery via twitter with charm city cakes. its so sad to see a beautiful bakery with such talented people working in it burn to the ground! I hope they have a speedy rebuild so they can get back to wedding cake takeover! (if i lived in chicago i would go help re build!) I am ordering a shirt as soon as i am done typing this post!! And Jan is an angel! how sweet of her to do that! Jen you always know how to make people's days!

Hi this is Jane Cervantes, creator of the cakes for Jacob Taylor. Thank you to everyone for your support and all of your nice comments. I just followed my heart.

Come on, kind souls out there. Let's donate money to the Cake Girls rebuilding fund. I'm donating $100.00. We all love sweets and I know I would be devastated if my bakery burned down. Jen, please tell us where to send the money.

I love this blog and I love how you always give credit where it is due. I also appreciate that, though, your site focuses on the mishaps of a plethora of bakers, it is not in a demonizing manner. Both, stories tugged at me and HARD. So, I would also like to know how I can get money to the Cakegirls directly instead of via T-shirt. I may not have money--yet (student about to start a new job in a couple weeks), but I do know several that can and would help them (as well as, the Cure Starts Now) financially now.

Anyway, it's always nice to see people using the influence that they have to help others. Thanks.

Jacob's mom is on my fave message board, and it's been quite a journey with Jacob and their family. So happy (but not surprised) to see how Jacob touched so many of us, and how it brought out the best. :) Thanks for posting this.

I've been following many of these stories because my 8-year-old son, Oliver was also diagnosed with DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) a rare aggressive form of brain cancer. Only 150 - 200 children are diagnosed each year and we are given 9 - 12 months to live. It is located in the brainstem which is responsible for all of the vital functioning of the human body. Because of it's location and the fact that the cells are all throughout the brain, it is impossible to surgically remove. It's been a heart wrenching few months and I have come to know of so many others who are in the same situation as we are or who are somewhere else on the path of this destructive monster. Thank you for posting this and getting the word out about it. Something definitely needs to be done for research so that others may not have to go through this horrific experience! Thanks for sharing!!

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